Valentine’s Day
Today is Valentine’s Day, and it fell on a Saturday. The weather was pleasant—warmer than usual—which made the day feel light and comfortable from the start. The morning itself was fairly calm and not too exciting. Luisa and I had breakfast at home and eased into the day while preparing for Bernadette’s birthday party later that evening.
Around 5:30 PM, we left the house to pick up a flash drive from Jorge’s place. He had put together a music mix himself for the party. After that, we headed to A Taste of Philippines on Lawrence Avenue in Jefferson Park to pick up an advanced order of Lumpia and Pancit. The restaurant specializes in traditional Filipino cuisine—Lumpia being crispy spring rolls typically filled with seasoned meat and vegetables, and Pancit a savory noodle dish often prepared with vegetables, meat, and citrus for brightness. Both are staples at Filipino gatherings, and it felt fitting for the celebration.
We arrived at Bernadette’s condo building around 6:30 PM. She had rented the function room near the lobby for the party. We were greeted by Bernadette, her husband Robert Fluke, and their child, Xavier. Luisa and I helped decorate the room, and I set up the photo backdrop for pictures. Soon enough, guests began to filter in.
Bernadette had a thoughtful icebreaker idea—everyone wore “hello” name tags, which made it easier to remember names and start conversations. Andrew Alcala arrived with Alfred and began setting up the DJ booth and equipment. The food spread offered a wide variety of options: meat dishes, vegetarian selections, and desserts. I especially enjoyed the shredded lamb and the Pancit. The alcoholic beverages were tasty as well.
Bernadette’s sister and father arrived, and I had the chance to talk with them. Later, my sister Sam came with Allen and the kids. I spent some time playing with Ty and Nathaniel, which was a lot of fun. We sang “Happy Birthday” to Bernadette and recognized all the February birthday celebrants. Since I’m also a February celebrant, I had a cupcake with a candle, which was a nice surprise. We cut and tasted the cake, and later there was dancing.
By around 10 PM, guests began to leave. We took photos against the backdrop before things wound down. Around 10:30 PM, Cynthia and George arrived after attending a concert earlier that evening. We talked with them for a while before finally heading home around midnight.
It was a good party—warm, joyful, and full of connection. A lovely way to spend Valentine’s Day.
